Polk County Sports
12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 18, 2017
Omlid: Senior developed toughness from fishing
Continued from Page 11A
“It doesn’t matter if it’s
commercial fishing, basket-
ball, sport fishing, hunting,
hiking or video games, he’s
very driven to win,” Keith
said. “He’s the guy that los-
ing hurts more than the en-
joyment of the win.”
Omlid may be having a
stellar season, but WOU has
struggled to find consisten-
cy.
The Wolves entered the
week in fifth place in the
Great Northwest Athletic
Conference standings with
a 5-3 mark in conference
play and an 8-8 record
overall.
WOU rolled to a 25-point
win over Simon Fraser on
Thursday and jumped out to
a 13-1 lead against Western
Washington on Saturday be-
fore falling 84-76.
“On Saturday, we had a
chance to beat a team that is
more talented than us at
home,” Shaw said. “We had
the right mindset and came
out great, but just didn’t
have enough to sustain it. I
WESTERN OREGON ROUNDUP
WOU sets three records
Itemizer-Observer staff report
SEATTLE — Three West-
ern Oregon track and field
athletes set new school
records at the University of
Washington Indoor Preview
on Saturday.
Suzanne Van De Grift set
a school
mark in
t
h
e
w o m e n’s
1,000-
meter run
with a
time of 2
minutes,
57.75 sec-
Ribich
onds. She
finished 20th overall. Dustin
Nading set the school’s
men’s 1,000 mark in 2:28.58
(finishing 13th), and David
Ribich broke the school
record in the 3,000 by 14
seconds with a time of
8:13.94 — good for a 10th-
place finish.
Josh Dempsey had
WOU’s best individual fin-
ish, placing third in the 800
(1:51.35).
Western Oregon returns
to Seattle for the University
of Washington Invitational
Jan. 27-28.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
DROPS TWO: Western Ore-
gon’s women’s basketball
team lost to Concordia 55-46
on Jan. 10 and Montana State
Billings 74-67 on Saturday.
Kaylie Boschma led the Wolves
against Concordia with 12
points and
nine re-
bounds.
Sydney
A z o r r
added nine
points and
six re-
bounds.
Against
Snook
Montana
State Billings, Shelby Snook
had 30 points, nine rebounds
and eight assists. Jasmine
Miller scored 16 points, but
the Wolves (6-9 overall, 2-6
Great Northwest Athletic Con-
ference) saw repeated rallies
fall just short.
Western Oregon plays at
Central Washington Thursday
at 7 p.m. and at Northwest
Nazarene Saturday at 1 p.m.
didn’t think we had very
good point guard play.”
The Wolves have shown
flashes of great team play.
Finding that on a consistent
basis remains a struggle.
“That has to do a lot with
team chemistry and confi-
dence,” Omlid said. “Confi-
dence is one of the biggest
things in basketball. I’d say 90
percent of a shot is mental.”
For now, the Wolves are a
good, not a great, squad. But
Western Oregon is capable
of beating the GNAC’s best
teams.
“It’s a two-pronged solu-
tion,” Shaw said. “We have
to have Tanner and Ali
(Faruq-Bey) play at a high
level, and we have to have
some other guys step up. J.J.
Chirnside has stepped up
and is doing a good job for
us. We need one or two
other guys step up and not
necessarily do great things,
but be able to contribute. I
think this group is doing a
pretty good job. We have to
take one more step to beat
the GNAC’s best.”
Dallas: Senior works hard
Continued from Page 10A
Tornow has proven to be
a versatile swimmer. He
has competed in freestyle
and backstroke, and in
both sprint and distance
races.
“I try to keep a steady
pace,” Tornow said. “Then
the last bit, I push myself to
finish hard.”
The senior may not be
the fastest swimmer in the
pool, but he is one of the
hardest-working. He’s also
making the most of the ex-
perience of being a high
school athlete — enjoying
both the physical workouts
and the social aspect.
“It’s a good experience,”
Tornow said. “I like the
team environment, work-
ing together during relays
and keeping my body
healthy. (Swimming) has
also helped me make more
friends at school.”
Tornow may be a man of
few words, but his actions
speak loudly, Morelli said,
allowing Tornow to become
an example for younger
swimmers to follow.
While he lacks the swim-
ming background of some
of his competitors, his work
ethic has set him apart
among the Dragons.
“He exemplifies what
high school swimming is —
a team sport where the in-
dividual can learn a good
work ethic, skills that will
last a lifetime, and realize
the limits of their body
through demanding exer-
cise,” Morelli said.
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Senior Wesley Tornow
joined the swim team as a
junior without any com-
petitive experience.
DALLAS ROUNDUP
Dragons take third at Wrestling Classic
Itemizer-Observer staff report
REDMOND — Dallas’
wrestling team finished
third in the 5A bracket at the
Wrestling Classic on Friday
and Saturday.
The Dragons defeated
Bend, Pendleton and West
Albany in dual matches on
Friday and lost to Rose-
burg. Dallas defeated
Thurston, lost to Hermis-
ton and defeated Redmond
Tr. Earhart
on Satur-
day.
Treve
Earhart se-
cured vic-
t o r i e s
against
Roseburg,
Thurston
and Her-
miston.
“That will probably make
him the top-ranked 195-
pounder in the state,” coach
Tony Olliff said. “Ryan
Bibler, Jacob Jones, Joe Fos-
ter and Tanner Earhart
should all get a bump in
rankings as well.”
The Dragons travel to
Crescent Valley Wednesday
(today) at 6 p.m. Dallas will
compete at the Reser’s Tour-
nament of Champions Fri-
day and Saturday at Liberty
High School in Hillsboro.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
DOWNS SPARTANS: Dallas’
girls basketball team won a
thriller over
Corvallis,
earning a
56-53 win in
d o u b l e
overtime on
Friday. Becca
R o n c o
scored a
team-high
Ronco
1 6 p o i nt s.
Katie Senger added 11 points
and Olivia Nelson scored 10
points.
The Dragons (7-4 overall, 2-0
Mid-Willamette Conference)
played Silverton Tuesday after
press time. Silverton entered
the week leading the MWC.
The Dragons play at Central Fri-
day at 5:30 p.m. and at Wood-
burn Tuesday at 7 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL FALLS
TO CORVALLIS: Dallas’ boys
basketball team lost to Corval-
lis 58-52 on Friday. The Drag-
ons and the Spartans were tied
at the half, but Corvallis held
on for the victory. Jason Richey
led Dallas with 20 points.
Aaron White added 14 points.
The Dragons host Silverton
Wednesday (today) at 7 p.m.
Dallas plays at Central Friday at
7 p.m. and hosts Woodburn
Tuesday at 7 p.m. Dallas is one
of five teams in the MWC to
enter the week with a 1-1 mark
in league play.
Pirates: Boys rebound from unexpected defeat
Continued from Page 11A
“I took away the feeling
(of losing),” senior Cooper
Butler said. “It’s a feeling I
don’t want to feel again.”
Despite the loss, Perrydale
entered the week in second
place in the Casco League,
behind Crosshill Christian.
Butler has played a key
role in the team’s success.
The senior scored 20 points
and had 11 rebounds against
Livingstone.
“I play all around the
floor,” Butler said. “I help get
myself and my teammates
looks everywhere. My mid-
range shot has gotten a lot
better. It can draw the oppo-
nent out so I can get a good
look to drive and pass, or go
up and get a foul.”
Senior Jacob Pope could
be the key to how successful
the Pirates’ season will be the
rest of the
way. The 6-
foot-3 post
has the size
to be a
m a j o r
threat in
the paint
on offense
Pope
and de-
fense.
At times, he has shown
what he can do in the key,
but finding that level of pro-
duction consistently has
proven difficult.
“For me, it’s keeping the
mindset of knowing where
you are in the defense and
where the weak spots are
and look for that opening,”
Pope said. “I always have to
be ready for the ball. I strug-
gle with that sometimes, but
I am getting better.”
If Pope can crack the code
and become a regular con-
tributor, he’ll add another
layer of depth for the Pirates.
“He’s been up and down,”
Domes said. “If we can get
consistent production from
him, we’re going to be that
much better.”
The boys and girls teams
host Crosshill Christian
Wednesday (today). The girls
tip off at 5:30 p.m. and the
boys follow at 7. Crosshill’s
boys and girls teams enter
the week in first place. The
Pirates play at Willamette
Valley Christian Friday at 6
(girls) and 7:30 p.m. (boys).
WVC’s girls are second in the
Casco League, while the
boys are in third.
Perrydale also hosts C.S.
Lewis Monday at 5:30 (girls)
and 7 p.m. (boys).
“It’ll be a tough week,”
Newton said.
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Perrydale senior Cooper Butler attempts to chase down a rebound on Thursday.
Central: Wrestling ties
for first at invitational Boys defeat C.S. Lewis
FALLS CITY ROUNDUP
Continued from Page 11A
But that defense wasn’t
on display during a 61-47
loss to Crescent Valley on
Friday.
“The thing that got to
me the most was our lack
of ball
pressure
and the
sense of
keeping
them out
of the
middle of
t
h
e
paint,”
Barry
K r e t a
said. “We game-planned
for that, but didn’t quite
execute it the way we had
hoped for. That’s not what
we hang our hats on as a
group.”
Kreta said he believes
the defensive effort was
more a result of an off
night. The Panthers have
little time to dwell on the
loss, though, with a big
week. Central hosts
L e b a n o n We d n e s d a y
(today) at 7 p.m. and Dal-
las Friday at 7 p.m.
“Both those games are
huge,” Barr y said.
“Lebanon is a sleeping
giant. Dallas is a dangerous
team. They’re both tough.”
WRESTLING TIES FOR
FIRST: Central’s wrestling
team tied for first at the Cen-
tral Invitational on Saturday.
The Panthers finished with
1 8 3 . 5
p o i n t s
along with
Banks.
N o a h
Wor thing-
ton (106
pounds),
Michael
Arciniega
Negrete
(113), Sam
Crow (195),
David Negrete (220) and
Caleb Sedlacek (285) finished
first to lead Central.
Luis Martinez (106) and
Manuel Martinez (120) placed
second.
Central hosts Silverton
Wednesday (today) at 6 p.m.
The Panthers will compete at
the Gary Seaney Memorial
Tournament Friday at 1 p.m.
before hosting the Central
Duals Saturday at noon.
R E L AY S L E A D S W I M
TEAM: Central’s girls 200-yard
medley relay and 200 freestyle
relay teams paced the Pan-
thers’ swim squad at Lebanon
on Jan. 10.
The 200-medley relay team
of Annie Taylor, Olivia Cooper,
Grace Holstad and Lynze
Bradley took first with a time
of 2 minutes, 8.66 seconds.
The 200-freestyle relay team
of Taylor, AnneMarie Has-
brook, Bradley and Holstad
won with a time of 2:01.66.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SPLITS: Central’s girls basket-
ball team defeated South Al-
bany 53-49 on Jan. 10 before
falling to Crescent Valley 51-
45 on Friday.
Central played Lebanon
Tuesday after press time. The
Panthers host Dallas Friday at
5:30 p.m. and Corvallis Tues-
day at 7 p.m.
Itemizer-Observer staff report
FALLS CITY — Falls City’s
boys basketball team defeat-
ed C.S. Lewis 74-60 on Fri-
day. Austin Burgess scored
28 points and grabbed eight
rebounds to lead the Moun-
taineers.
Jeremy Labrado added 15
points and Zach Varney
recorded nine points and 14
rebounds.
Falls City opened the
week by falling to Willamette
Valley Christian 70-47 on
Jan. 10.
The girls basketball team
lost to Willamette Valley
Christian 55-24 on Jan. 10.
The Mountaineers played
Crosshill Christian Tuesday
after press time. Falls City
plays at Mapleton Friday at
5:30 (girls) and 7 p.m. (boys)
before hosting Jewell
Wednesday at 5:30 (girls)
and 7 p.m. (boys).
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